The Lincoln Substance Use
Disorders Program (SUDP) staff saw a very important need in the treatment of
addiction for veterans. Their professional experience in dealing with veterans,
and active duty soldiers, caused them to see the need for more than just
treatment for substance abuse.

There
is a saying in the
recovery community that one must want to be sober for oneself, but, that
would mean that the person would have to feel some sense of worth. The
alcoholic/addict not only has to face feelings of guilt and shame from the
wreckage of the past, but also a mountain of problems caused by addiction:
financial devastation, family relationships in ruin, legal problems,
homelessness and mental and physical issues. Just to name a few. Many have been in
substance abuse treatment programs before. Not only were the problems
overwhelming, knowing where to get help posed another problem.

The
staff recognized that in
order for one to want to be sober, a person must have hope ! So, along with
the alumni of the SUDP, they created the Promise House and the Promise
Program. Their belief was that if they could help veterans and soldiers
find solutions; not just treatment, they would begin to see their problems
diminish. They could feel hope. With hope comes continued
sobriety.

In
April 2008, the Lincoln
Substance Use Disorders Program (SUDP) was awarded funds for a pilot program
for supportive housing through the Innovations Program of the VA. The
Promise House, as it became known, opened on July 21, 2008 with the first
placement. At $27 a day, the monies covered the cost of housing 6 veterans for
a minimum of 90 days a year.

Along
with housing, the
Promise Program was created to focus on the various needs and deficits in the
veteran's life due to substance abuse. The goal of the proposal was to
not only demonstrate the need for structured living in Lincoln, but also to
demonstrate that improving the quality life for veterans can have a positive
effect on continued sobriety.

Unfortunately, funding
for this program was discontinued. Hence, OVER continues its mission,
trying to fill the void left by a lack of funding for the Promise House. We
feel that responsibility, and the honesty contained in the 12-steps, lead
to recovery.

The OVER program is now run by its members.
The majority of members are graduates of the Lincoln VA SUDP program, but there are also members of the recovery community
at large who are either veterans themselves or concerned about the well being of veterans in recovery.

The
Staff at the Lincoln VA SUDP is no longer involved with OVER. However, they support us and we support them. We
are grateful to the VA and especially the Lincoln VA SUDP for our recovery.

Sadly, the Promise House was closed, but graduates of the VA SUDP in Lincoln, Nebraska took it upon themselves to form a non-profit
called Operation Veterans Encouraging Recovery or OVER for short.

During the last 4 years, OVER had a house donated to them. The house at 625 S. 27th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska was
in serious disrepair, but the OVER organization raised money through BBQ's, garage sales, and various fundraisers. With the
support of the community, the hard work of various individuals, organizations and small businesses, OVER has taken an eye
sore in the community and turned it into something veterans and the rest of the community can be proud of. This house can
house 4 veterans in recovery comfortably and house up to 6 in an emergency.

This house is owned and operated by OVER. OVER board members vowed that what happened to the Promise House and the
veterans it housed will never happen again. When the government funding fell through for the veterans of the Promise House&#8230;8
veterans were put out on the street. OVER realizes that our government cannot meet all the needs of all of its citizens.
Not even veterans. The veterans of OVER, being proud and talented, took it upon themselves to insure that the veterans of
the OVER House will not only have a place to stay, but that they will become members of OVER and actually own a piece of the
their recovery house.